MFS Talkin' Bout Generational 529 Plans

With the cost of a four-year stint at a top liberal arts college expected to reach $300,000 by 2016, getting the word out on 529 college savings plans has never been more important.

Still considered somewhat of an esoteric investment vehicle by many investors, 529s have yet to break out of their infancy stage. Although there are 72 million children under the age of 18 in the United States, only 3.7 million 529 accounts have been opened as of 2003, according to Financial Research Corp. of Boston. Getting financial advisers more familiar with their benefits presents an enormous opportunity for new and existing assets.